Saturday, December 31, 2016

December 31,2016, 9:21:43PM,EST

Soon after bringing downpours and thunderstorms to the south and snow to the northern Plains, a storm with rain and spotty ice will take aim at the eastern United States early in 2017.
As
some people return from their holiday breaks, travel delays are
possible due to rain, fog and a low cloud ceiling overspreading the area
from Sunday night to Tuesday.
The first part of the storm the rain will be spotty and light.
There
can be spotty ice at the onset in the Northeast during Sunday night and
Monday. Air temperatures in some communities will be close to the
freezing mark, 32 degrees Fahrenheit. In some cases, the ground will be
colder for a time.

Patches of black ice are possible
from the central Appalachians to just inland of the mid-Atlantic coast
from Sunday night to early Monday morning. The ice threat will then
shift northward to northern New York state and northern New England
later on Monday into Tuesday morning.
Motorists are urged to use
caution, especially over bridges and overpasses along the border of
Maryland and Pennsylvania to interior New Jersey, upstate New York and
southwestern New England.
Surfaces that were recently treated with ice-melting compounds will be wet.
Milder air with drenching rain will accompany the main part of the storm on Tuesday.
The rain will spread northeastward from the Ohio Valley and Southern states as millions of people head back to work and school.

While excessive rainfall is not
anticipated, enough rain can fall to cause travel delays. Where there is
substantial snow on the ground, minor urban flooding can occur.
Anytime
mild air flows over cold ground and/or snow cover, there is the risk of
fog formation, which could slow travel on the highways.RELATED:AccuWeather Winter Weather CenterNortheastern US interactive radarDownpours, gusty storms to drench Gulf Coast this weekend
Even in the absence of widespread
fog, a low cloud ceiling at some of the major airport hubs from
Cincinnati and Washington, D.C., to Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh,
Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could lead to airline
delays.
The rain will reach well into ski country of northern New
England with this storm. Not enough rain will fall to melt all of the
snow, however. A major storm brought up to 2 feet of snow this past
week.

A weaker storm is set to bring up to a few inches of snow during the first part of this weekend.

December 31,2016, 11:32:00PM,EST

Disruptive snow will expand over the north-central United States from Sunday night into Tuesday.

Some
areas that are still digging out from the Christmas Day blizzard may be
in the crosshairs of the impending snowstorm during the first days of
2017.
After unleashing frigid air and snow across the West, a storm will emerge over the Rockies and rapidly strengthen.
“The
best areas for accumulating snow will be from the Dakotas to the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.

Increasing winds will threaten to cause areas of blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility in parts of the northern Plains.
Mild
air shooting northward ahead of the storm will allow for all rain from
Chicago to Detroit on Monday. This includes in St. Louis, where mild and
wet conditions could disrupt the 2017 NHL Winter Classic.
“However,
the return of colder air may produce a brief period of snow across
Chicago and Detroit on Tuesday or Tuesday night,” Rathbun said.
Arctic air will then sweep south and eastward across much of the Lower 48 from the middle to the latter half of the week.

December 31,2016, 11:34:54PM,EST

Arctic air will plunge into the Northwest over the next few days and bring a frigid and snowy start to 2017.

A
snowstorm will precede and accompany the arctic surge and create
slippery travel over much of the region from New Year's Day to Monday. A
mix of rain and snow is forecast along the immediate coast at sea
level.
Some rain and snow will fall around Seattle and Portland,
Oregon, through New Year’s Day. Hilly areas around Seattle and outlying
higher elevations around Portland can pick up a couple inches of snow.
Most of the snow accumulation will be on non-paved surfaces. However,
some bridges and overpasses could get slippery, especially as
temperatures plummet toward the end of the storm.

"This will be the first storm with
wintry precipitation in the Seattle and Portland areas spanning New
Year's Eve and New Year's Day since Dec. 31, 2003 and Jan. 1, 2004,"
according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "That
storm brought about 4 inches of snow to that part of the Interstate 5
corridor."
While there can be light accumulations around Seattle
and Portland, the best chance for heavy snow will be focused across the
Cascades where 6 to 12 inches will fall. Heavy snow will also fall
across the Bitterroots.
Travel along I-84 through the Columbia
River Gorge and I-90 through the Cascades on east can be treacherous for
a time on Sunday.

While only a small amount of snow
will fall at low elevations in this area, untreated wet highways,
streets and sidewalks can turn icy as temperatures plunge with the push
of arctic air. Major cities over the interior Northwest to be affected
by the snow and freeze-up include Spokane, Washington, Pendleton,
Oregon, and Boise, Idaho.
The swath of rain and snow will spread
farther south and east Sunday night and Monday. Salt Lake City will
endure snowy conditions during this time with travel being impacted.
Snow will spread into the northern Sierra as well where a foot of snow
may pile up.
Arctic air will pour into much of the West during the first week of the new year.
Daytime
temperatures will generally range between 10 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit
below normal for a few days, although in some areas, temperatures may
fall up to 30 degrees below normal.
Some cities may come close to
tying or even breaking low temperature records. The coldest air will be
in place between Monday and Wednesday.

Cities such as Seattle and Spokane,
Washington; Portland, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Missoula and Great Falls,
Montana; will all face the cold next week.
An easterly wind through the Columbia Gorge will funnel the arctic air into Portland Monday through Wednesday.
“Portland
will endure several days with high temperatures in the 20s to near 30
next week,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.
Overnight
lows in Portland will rival records this week as temperatures dip into
the teens through Wednesday night. This will be some of the coldest air
felt since February of 2014.
Boise, Idaho, may also approach records on a couple of nights next week as temperatures sink well below zero.
Those heading outside may want to consider putting on extra layers.RELATED LINKS:Western US blogNorthwestern US radar128th Rose Parade: Dry, cool weather to kick off event in Pasadena
An Arctic high pressure system remain
in control across the Northwest through most of the week and will keep
the region dry. However, the cold air will keep a firm grip on the
region.
“The Northwest looks to remain colder than normal right into the first weekend of the new year,” Pydynowski said.
The
cold air may even make it as far south as Las Vegas by the end of the
week, bringing temperatures 10 to 15 degrees below normal.

December 31,2016, 6:37:48PM,EST

A pattern change will bring a turn to more unsettled weather across Germany as 2017 kicks off.
A
persistent area of high pressure over the region will begin to weaken
and move away through the weekend, allowing more seasonable air to seep
in from the north.
From Christmas weekend to the first half of
this week, high temperatures were largely 4 to 8 C (10 to 15 F) above
normal across most of Germany, including in Frankfurt, Berlin and
Hamburg.
High temperatures this weekend will generally range from 2
to 7 C (35 to 44 F). However, temperatures will struggle or fail to
reach freezing where dense fog from the morning lingers into the
afternoon. The central and southern valleys are most prone for the
stubborn fog and resulted reduced visibility, slick spots and chilly
air.
The high pressure should hold on long enough to keep most of Germany dry heading into Sunday.

“New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
look to be largely dry across Germany, which will work out well for
those partaking in celebrations,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan
Pydynowski said.
While 2016 will end on a dry note, a period of
unsettled weather is expected to move in for the first couple of days
and nights of 2017.
“A cold front will dive in from the north late Sunday and will bring a few showers lasting into Monday,” Pydynowski said.RELATED LINKS:Germany weather pageGermany weather radarMinuteCast® for Berlin
The cold front will also help spread
fresh chilly air across the country heading into early next week. This
should allow some snow to mix with the rain across the higher ground of
central and southern Germany later on Monday.
A more unsettled weather pattern will follow for the rest of the first week of the new year.
Storm
systems dropping from Scandinavia to eastern Europe will lead to bouts
of gusty, chilly winds and rain and snow showers next week.

December 30,2016, 10:25:17AM,EST

Seventeen people were injured on Friday morning in the latest
accident to occur amid dense fog across England and Wales in the final
days of 2016.
An Oxford Bus Company bus slid off the northbound M40 slip road near Thame in the early morning hours of Friday, according to BBC News.
The
accident occurred at 02:45 GMT (9:45 p.m. Thursday EST). Weather
observations at the nearby Benson Airport reported visibility down to
100 m (330 feet) at both 2:00 and 3:00 in dense fog with temperatures
hovering a couple of degrees below freezing.
The driver and 16
passengers suffered injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to broken
bones, the BBC stated. The bus was traveling from Heathrow to Oxford.Thames Valley Police reported that the road was still closed at 11:00 GMT for barrier repair.
This
accident comes a day after one woman died as more than 20 cars were
involved in four separate crashes on the A40 in Oxfordshire on Wednesday
morning, the BBC reported.
Dense freezing fog was observed at the RAF Brize Norton throughout Wednesday morning.RELATED:UK interactive radarCheck MinuteCast® for your locationRain to dampen London on New Year's Day
Hazards to travelers were not only confined to the ground.
More than 280 arriving and departing flights at Heathrow Airport had been delayed as of midday Friday, according to FlightAware. Delays were averaging close to an hour.
“Fog
will continue to linger across parts of the East Midlands and southern
England into Friday afternoon,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys
said.

Site of the overturned bus on the M40 slip road. (TrafficEngland.com/Highways England)
Travelers will face further flight delays
and poor visibility. Roads could remain slippery where temperatures are
still below freezing.
Roys expects the fog to lift into a low-hanging cloud deck, allowing visibility to improve overnight and into Saturday morning.
However, any breaks in the cloud could allow patchy fog to return.

A cold front with a spell of rain
will push southward across Wales and England on Saturday night into
Sunday, sweeping away the low cloud.
The unsettled weather pattern that will follow the front will prevent fog from returning during the first week of the new year.

Jonathan Belles, Linda Lam
Published: December 31,2016
An active weather pattern will bring another interesting week of weather to start 2017 across the U.S.
The
upcoming week will feature another multi-faceted winter system that
will bring the first dose of heavy snow of the year for the Upper
Midwest and drought-denting showers and thunderstorms for the South.
In addition, some big temperature changes are ahead which could play a role in a late-week system in the South.

1. Next Winter Trouble Maker

The
next winter storm will begin to impact the Pacific Northwest New Year's
Eve and will spread into the interior West and into the Rockies on New
Year's Day.

Next Winter System

This
next round of wintry weather is due to a dip in the jet stream that
will push southward into the West bringing cold temperatures. An area of
low pressure is then expected to intensify in the Plains Monday and
will track toward the Great Lakes.
The result will be snow for much of the West, even in some of the lower elevations such as Seattle and Portland.
A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain will also be found from the
northern Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley and the northern Great
Lakes.
Strong and gusty winds are also likely early week in the northern Plains and Midwest.(MORE: Early Week Wintry Mess)
Portions of the interior Northeast may see some freezing rain, sleet and snow early in the week ahead of this system.

2. Heavy Rain

The
second of two slugs of moisture will ride Interstate-10 eastbound
during the first half of the week. This welcomed disturbance may bring
an additional 1 to 3 inches of rainfall to much of the South.

Rainfall Forecast

Given the ongoing drought in the South, this rain will generally be beneficial, although it will not erase the drought.
Showers may linger into Tuesday in the Southeast, before drier conditions return midweek behind a cold front.(MORE: 8 Cool Things to Look For in Winter)
The
rain may be locally heavy at times and rainfall totals of more than 3
inches are expected through Tuesday toward the northern Gulf Coast. In
fact, flood watches have been issued from southern Louisiana into
southwestern Alabama.

3. Severe

An area
of low pressure will move from the southern Plains into the Deep South
to start the week. In addition to bringing much-needed rain to the
South, thunderstorms are also expected to develop.

Thunderstorm Forecast

Scattered
severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday night in central and eastern
Texas, as well as into southern Louisiana. The primary threat with these
storms will be large hail, but damaging wind gusts and an isolated
tornado are also possible.(MORE: Heavy Rain and Severe Thunderstorms to Start 2017 in the South)
The
threat of severe thunderstorms slides east on Monday and will stretch
from eastern Texas into Louisiana, southern Arkansas, central and
southern Mississippi and into southwestern Alabama and the far western
panhandle of Florida.

4. Temperature Changes

The
next round of brutally cold temperatures will begin to press into
portions of the West on Monday, as an upper-level trough, or southward
dip in the jet stream, slides southward.
High temperatures on
Monday will be 10 to 30 degrees colder than average for much of the
Pacific Northwest and into the northern Rockies and northern Plains.
This translates into highs only in the single digits and teens for many
areas.

Forecast Highs Compared to Average Next Friday

The
bitterly cold temperatures will continue to push south and east through
the week. This will also be a lasting cold in some areas as
temperatures will remain well-below average from the Northwest into the
northern Plains through the week.
Low temperatures will also be up
to 40 degrees colder than normal for early January, meaning
temperatures will plunge into the teens and 20s below zero in parts of
the Rockies and northern Plains.(MORE: January's Cold Reality Starts 2017)
Farther
east, the week will start off quite mild with temperatures 10 to 25
degrees warmer than average from the southern Plains to the East Coast.
However, by next weekend colder temperatures will return.
Much of
the Midwest and Northeast will see highs in the 40s and 50s early in the
week but temperatures will only reach the 20s and 30s by late week.
Look for highs in the 60s and 70s in the South to be replaced with highs
in the 30s and 40s.

5. Late Week Systems

An
active pattern will continue late in the week and given the cold
temperatures that are expected to be in place, more wintry weather is
possible.
The next disturbance is currently expected to move into
the West Coast Tuesday night bringing snow to the Sierra Nevada
mountains and then snow will spread into the Rockies Wednesday. By late
week, this system may bring some snow to portions of the South and
mid-Atlantic.

Wintry Setup?

Yet
another low pressure system may move into California mid-to-late week.
This may result in rain and mountain snow from southern Oregon into
California, as well as into portions of the inter-mountain West and
Rockies.(MAPS: Weekly Planner)
There is much uncertainty with the forecast for late week so be sure to check back to weather.com for forecast updates.

Brian Donegan
Published: December 31,2016
A wintry mess of snow, sleet and
freezing rain is lining up for parts of the Plains, Midwest and
Northeast during the first few days of 2017.(MORE: Winter Storm Central)
Late
this weekend, an upper-level trough, or dip in the jet stream, will
begin to slide southward over the West bringing cold temperatures and
snowfall. This trough will then slide south and east early in the week.
The
general setup involves a flow of moist, above-freezing air initially
riding over below-freezing air near the surface in the Northeast and
Midwest.

Weather Setup Sunday Night

Secondly,
while still uncertain this far out in time, an area of low pressure may
intensify and track from the High Plains east of the Rockies toward the
Great Lakes states, pumping more warm air ahead of it, but generating
potentially significant snow and wind to its west and northwest.
Let's
break down this complex forecast day by day. Since this is still far
out in time, changes to this forecast may be necessary in the coming
days.(MAPS: Weekly Planner)

Sunday-Sunday Night

Snow develops across the Pacific Northwest, including Seattle and Portland.

Snow will also spread across the interior West and into the Rockies.

Sunday
night, precipitation will spread farther east into parts of the Great
Lakes region and into the Northeast ahead of this system.

Colder
air trapped near the surface may cause the precipitation to fall in the
form of freezing rain, sleet or even snow in spots generally along and
north of Interstate 80, from northern New Jersey into Nebraska.

Monday-Monday Night

An
area of low pressure is expected to organize in the Plains, with
precipitation stretching from the northern Plains into the Upper
Midwest, northern Great Lakes and New York state and northern
Pennsylvania.

Mainly snow is expected in the northern Plains,
while snow, sleet or freezing rain is expected from eastern Nebraska to
the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Sleet or freezing rain is
expected from northern Pennsylvania and northwestern New Jersey into
southern New York and, by Monday night, parts of New England.

It
is too early for specific snowfall totals into early next week but the
heaviest snowfall with this system is expected in the higher elevations
of the West.

Snowfall Outlook

A
band of moderate to heavy snow is also possible from northern South
Dakota and North Dakota into central and northern Minnesota, northern
Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
In addition to snowfall, ice may also be a concern early next week.
This forecast is tricky and subject to revisions over the next several days. Be sure to check back with weather.com for updates.

Brian Donegan
Published: December 31,2016
As January arrives, a pattern
change will bring a reality check by ushering in much colder
temperatures for a large swath of the United States that will last for
several days in many areas.(MAPS: 10-day Forecast High/Low Temperatures)
A
southward diversion of the polar jet stream will allow arctic air to
flow southward out of Canada into much of the Lower 48 states by later
next week.

The chill looks to arrive just
after the New Year's holiday weekend in the northern Plains and northern
Rockies before expanding its reach south and east through the week.(MORE: New Year's Holiday Weekend Outlook)

Chilly Forecast

High
temperatures Monday will be 15 to 30 degrees below average in the
northern Rockies and 10 to 25 degrees below average in parts of the
northern Plains and Pacific Northwest. This translates to highs mainly
in the teens and single digits from Montana and northern Wyoming into
North Dakota and western South Dakota.

Forecast Highs Compared to Average Monday

The arctic air will spread a little farther south and east each day next week.
By
late next week, the below-average temperatures should cover much of the
Lower 48 states, with the exception of parts of Florida.
Highs
in the 20s are possible as far south as the Texas panhandle, which is at
least 15 degrees below average for the first week of January.(MORE: When Is the Coldest Time of the Year?)

Forecast Highs Compared to Average Next Friday

The
worst of the cold, however, appears likely to remain locked into the
northern Plains and Rockies, with highs remaining up to 30 degrees below
average late next week. Some places won't even reach zero degrees
Wednesday through Friday, especially across parts of Montana, North
Dakota and Minnesota.(FORECAST: Missoula, Montana | Fargo, North Dakota | International Falls, Minnesota)
Since high temperatures will be so cold, you can bet on low temperatures being even more frigid.

Forecast Lows

Morning
lows could reach the teens and 20s below zero in the coldest locations
of the northern Plains and Rockies next week. These readings are 20 to
40 degrees colder than average for this time of year.
The 6-10 day temperature outlook issued Thursday from the Climate Prediction Center
has a very large area of 90 percent probability for below-average
temperatures, the largest area in the 15 year history of the outlook
according to climatologist Brian Brettschneider. This indicates the high
confidence level of the colder than average temperatures and not how
much below average temperatures will be.
According
to the National Weather Service, temperatures may reach below zero in
15 states by Thursday morning. A few record lows are also possible next
week, mainly in the Pacific Northwest.
Wind chills will reach
dangerously cold levels, placing you at risk for frostbite or
hypothermia if you are outdoors and not properly bundled up.(MORE: What Does Wind Chill Really Mean?)

Rockies, Plains Forecast Next Week

This
cold reality check won't reach the East until the end of next week or
next weekend, and the air mass will likely modify by that point and not
be quite as bitter as it will be over the rest of the country.
However,
it will be a noticeable temperature change in the East compared to
early week. High and low temperatures will be 10 to 25 degrees warmer
than average into midweek and then colder conditions return.

Five Day Forecast

Many
locations in the East will see temperatures 20 to 30 degrees colder
late in the week compared to the mild temperatures early in the week.
For more details on what the rest of January may bring, check out our January outlook.

Jon Erdman
Published: December 31,2016
We've reached the end of another year, and it's time to ring in 2017.
(2016 RECAPS: Top Weather Stories | Weirdest Weather | Most Extreme Weather Cities | Best Photos)
Fortunately,
we're not forecasting a major winter storm or, for our southern
friends, a bout of severe weather for the New Year's holiday weekend.
However,
there will be a clipper system moving through the Midwest and
Northeast, as well as an area of low pressure moving into the South. Two
additional low-pressure systems will impact the West, which could also
lead to some holiday headaches.
Let's break down the forecast for this holiday weekend.
(MAPS: 7-Day Rain/Snow | Forecast Highs and Lows)

New Year's Day

New Year's Day Forecast

Light snow is possible in parts of northern New England.

The Interstate 95 corridor looks mainly dry from Boston through Baltimore during the daylight hours.

Rain
and thunderstorms are expected for much of the South and northward into
the Ohio Valley. Most of Florida will likely stay dry, with the
exception of the panhandle.

A few severe thunderstorms are possible Sunday night in central and eastern Texas into southern Louisiana.

Rain
and mountain snow are expected along the West Coast from Washington to
northern California. Snow will spread into the inter-mountain West and
Rockies. Rain and snow will also persist in Arizona and New Mexico.

Much of the Great Lakes, upper Midwest and central and northern Plains should be dry.

A
mild start to the year is anticipated from the Plains to the East
Coast, while temperatures will likely be near to below average for the
West.

Linda Lam
Published: December 31,2016
Dry conditions have resulted in
widespread drought in the South and had many wishing for a wet
Christmas. Those wishes will be granted with a wet New Year's instead.
However,
in some areas locally heavy rain may cause flooding and the rain may
also be accompanied by severe thunderstorms in some areas.

Rain Forecast

Showers
have already developed in portions of the lower Mississippi Valley as
of Saturday morning. However, not all of the rain that is visible on
radar is reaching the ground due to the very dry atmosphere in place.
Rain
will continue to develop and spread north and east through the holiday
weekend. By late Sunday, the chance for rain will stretch from central
Texas to the Carolinas, as well as along the Gulf Coast and into
portions of northern Florida.

Five Day Forecast

The
chance of wet weather will persist through Tuesday for the Southeast,
while drier conditions begin to return farther west behind a cold front
that is expected to push through the region midweek. Another
disturbance, however, may bring more showers to the South beginning late
Wednesday and lasting through late week.(FORECAST: Asheville, North Carolina | Chattanooga, Tennessee | Montgomery, Alabama)
A
wide swath of more than 2 inches of rainfall is anticipated through
Tuesday from southern Louisiana into southern Mississippi, southern
Alabama, much of Georgia and northwestern South Carolina. Rainfall may
be locally heavy at times, as well.

Rainfall Forecast

Many
of the areas that will see the highest rainfall totals have been
experiencing the worst drought conditions, including northeastern
Alabama and northern and central Georgia.
Of course, there can be
too much of a good thing. Residents along the northern Gulf Coast can
expect to see more than 4 inches of rainfall as multiple disturbances
ripple eastward. That much rain heightened flood concerns enough to
provoke a flood watch in portions of the northern Gulf Coast.

Drought Update

Most of the South is still experiencing drought conditions, according to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released
Dec. 29. Some areas have seen a bit of improvement since early
November, but unfortunately other areas have seen the drought increase.

Portions
of northwestern Alabama have benefited from recent rainfall. However, a
little more than 50 percent of the state remains in extreme drought,
the second highest category from the drought monitor.
In Georgia,
an area south of Atlanta has seen a slight reduction in the drought, but
overall conditions have become worse. As of Dec. 27, 26.52 percent of
the state is in the exceptional drought category, the highest category,
compared to 14 percent on Nov. 1.(MORE: Two Rounds of Rain Brought Some Drought Improvement in the South)
Southeastern
Tennessee has also seen improvement with only 5 percent of the state in
extreme drought on Dec. 27, compared to just under 15 percent on Nov.
1.
Many locations from the western Carolinas into northeastern
Mississippi are experiencing one of the driest years on record.
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is seeing its second driest year on record through
Dec. 26, and Chattanooga, Tennessee, is seeing its fifth driest year,
according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.(MORE: Record Dry Streaks in the South)
The
expected rainfall over the next week will be beneficial, but it won't
end the drought. Many areas of northeastern Alabama, northern Georgia,
western South Carolina and western North Carolina would still need more
than 9 inches of rain over the next four weeks for the drought to end,
according to the Palmer Drought Severity Index.MORE: Southern Drought, November 2016 (PHOTOS)

1917
- The temperature at Lewisburg, WV, plunged to 37 degrees below zero to
set a state record. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders - 1987)

1929 - Greenland Ranch, in Death Valley, California, went the entire year without measurable precipitation. (The Weather Channel)

1933
- A 24 hour rainfall of 7.36 inches set the stage for the worst flood
in Los Angeles history. Flooding claimed 44 lives. (David Ludlum)

1941
- Snow which began on New Year's Eve became a major blizzard on New
Year's Day, burying Des Moines, IA, uunder 19.8 inches of snow in 24
hours, an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)

1947
- A late afternoon tornado touched down 10 miles north of Shreveport
LA, and dissipated south of El Dorado AR. The tornado, as much as 400
yards in width, killed 18 persons. It damaged or destroyed two thirds of
the structures at Cotton Valley LA. (The Weather Channel)

1962
- Perhaps the worst blizzard in the history of the state of Maine
finally came to an end. The storm produced 40 inches in 24 hours at
Orono, and a total of 46 inches at Ripogenus Dam. Gale force winds
produced snow drifts twenty feet high around Bangor. A disastrous
icestorm was over Georgia and South Carolina. It ravaged the two states
for days causing more than seven million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
(The Weather Channel)

1987
- Torrential rains caused extensive flash flooding over eastern
sections of the island of Ohau in Hawaii, resulting in many rock and mud
slides. Rainfall totals ranged up to 22.89 inches in a 24 hour period,
and property damage was estimated at 35 million dollars. Strong winds
continued to usher arctic cold into the north central U.S. The
temperature at Alexandria MN remained below zero through the day, and
Jamestown ND reported a wind chill reading of 58 degrees below zero.
Gales lashed the Great Lakes, with wind gusts to 54 mph reported at
Lansing MI. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)

1988
- Warm and wet weather prevailed in the southeastern U.S. Six cities in
Florida reported record high temperatures for the date. Thunderstorms
produced locally heavy rains from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the
Southern Atlantic Coast. (The National Weather Summary)

1989
- The year and decade ended on a soggy note in the eastern U.S.
Thunderstorm rains pushed precipitation totals for the year to 88.32
inches at Baton Rouge, and to 75.37 inches at Huntsville AL,
establishing all-time records for those two locations. Dry weather
continued in California. Sacramento and San Francisco finished the month
without any rain or snow, and Santa Maria reported their driest year of
record with just 3.30 inches of precipitation. (The National Weather
Summary) (Storm Data)

2010
- Unusually warm air fueled strong storms in the midwestern and
southern U.S., producing high winds and a preliminary count of 53
tornadoes across five states. At least eight people were killed in
Missouri and Arkansas and dozens of others were injured. In Mississippi,
about 200 people were evacuated from the Jackson-Evers International
Airport, where an EF-2 tornado crossed a runway. (NCDC)

Friday, December 30, 2016

December 30,2016, 2:12:58PM,EST

Inclement weather may throw a wrench into plans for the 2017 NHL Winter Classic at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Monday.

The
game between the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues is slated for 1
p.m. EST. However, rain and unseasonably warm conditions during the
afternoon Monday could lead to dangerous or unplayable conditions on the
outdoor rink.
Temperatures will be 15-20 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun.

St. Louis Blues' Kevin
Shattenkirk (22) and Chicago Blackhawks' Alexandre Fortin (82) reach for
the puck during the first period of a preseason NHL hockey game, Oct.
8, 2016, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Bill Boyce)

“A mild day is in store for the
Winter Classic in St. Louis. Highs will top out in the upper 50s, which
will make it difficult for maintenance to keep the ice rink frozen,"
Rathbun said. "Rain will also fall, which will lead to ponding of water
on the rink and difficult playing conditions."
A normal high temperature for Jan 2. in St. Louis is 40.
If the game is delayed, it could be played Monday night or rescheduled for Tuesday night, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. RELATEDWhen snow becomes a canvas: How one artist creates colossal masterpieces using a compass, snowshoes5 ways to become more environmentally-friendly for your New Year’s resolutionDetailed St. Louis forecast
Colder air will not return to St. Louis until Wednesday when highs will struggle to reach the freezing mark, Rathbun said.
According
to the NHL, an outdoor rink requires up to 2 inches of ice thickness to
help withstand the more extreme elements. The NHL monitors the
condition of the ice 24 hours a day by using a high-tech system called
"Eye on the Ice," which is embedded into the rink. This technology
provides updates on temperatures for different parts of the ice.
The
ideal conditions for hosting an outdoor hockey game would be
temperatures in the low 30s with overcast skies and a touch of light
snow, NHL officials have said previously.
The NHL has experienced
bad weather during the Winter Classic before. In 2011, the game between
the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins at Heinz Field in
Pittsburgh was moved from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. due to rain and warm
conditions.
“We’ve dealt with it before, so we’ll deal with it
again if we have to,” Jon Miller, president of programming for NBC
Sports, told the Post-Dispatch. "We’re hopeful that everything
cooperates. We’ve all been looking at the weather; we’re all well aware
of what the pitfalls are.”
Have questions, comments, or a story to share? Email Kevin Byrne at Kevin.Byrne@accuweather.com, follow him on Twitter at @Accu_Kevin. Follow us @breakingweather, or on Facebook

December 30,2016, 10:56:32AM,EST

A pattern change will bring a turn to more unsettled weather across Germany as 2017 kicks off.
A
persistent area of high pressure over the region will begin to weaken
and move away through the weekend, allowing more seasonable air to seep
in from the north.
From Christmas weekend to the first half of
this week, high temperatures were largely 4 to 8 C (10 to 15 F) above
normal across most of Germany, including in Frankfurt, Berlin and
Hamburg.
High temperatures this weekend will generally range from 2
to 7 C (35 to 44 F). However, temperatures will struggle or fail to
reach freezing where dense fog from the morning lingers into the
afternoon. The central and southern valleys are most prone for the
stubborn fog and resulted reduced visibility, slick spots and chilly
air.
The high pressure should hold on long enough to keep most of Germany dry heading into Sunday.

“New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day
look to be largely dry across Germany, which will work out well for
those partaking in celebrations,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan
Pydynowski said.
While 2016 will end on a dry note, a period of
unsettled weather is expected to move in for the first couple of days
and nights of 2017.
“A cold front will dive in from the north late Sunday and will bring a few showers lasting into Monday,” Pydynowski said.RELATED LINKS:Germany weather pageGermany weather radarMinuteCast® for Berlin
The cold front will also help spread
fresh chilly air across the country heading into early next week. This
should allow some snow to mix with the rain across the higher ground of
central and southern Germany later on Monday.
A more unsettled weather pattern will follow for the rest of the first week of the new year.
Storm
systems dropping from Scandinavia to eastern Europe will lead to bouts
of gusty, chilly winds and rain and snow showers next week.

December 30,2016, 10:43:29AM,EST

For British artist Simon Beck, snow is a pristine canvas on which he creates intricate, large-scale geometric designs.
Beck,
who works mostly by commission in the Les Arcs ski resort in the French
Alps, has completed about 240 snow drawings in the past 12 years. He
creates his drawings, which are based on fractal patterns such as the
Koch snowflake and the Sierpinksi triangle, by walking the equivalent of
12 to 19 miles (20 to 30 km) in a pair of snowshoes.

(Photo/Simon Beck)

For Beck, an Oxford graduate who
previously worked as an engineer and a mapmaker, becoming a “snow
artist” wasn’t part of a grand plan. One day after skiing, he said, he
looked outside his apartment window at Les Arcs and spontaneously
created a star design by walking in the snow.
“It started as a bit
of a joke 12 years ago, but seven years ago, I decided to take it
seriously and make it my main form of activity during the winter in
addition to skiing,” he said.
In addition to being a means of
staying in shape, Beck said he creates his snow art to make people aware
of the potentially devastating effects of climate change.
“There’s
also an environmental message,” he said. “Snow is beautiful; we need
snow. We need winter and we shouldn’t wreck it too much.”

(Photo/Simon Beck)

The ideal conditions for creating
snow drawings, Beck said, include snow that is “about 9 inches deep,
which is really quite soft and has a firm surface beneath the snow.”
He
prefers to work on a snow-covered frozen lake, which he said lends
itself better to photos because of its level surface. And skiers
generally don’t venture on frozen lakes, he added, so he can work
uninterrupted.
To bring his designs to life, Beck works out from
the center with an orienteering compass. Next, he determines the
appropriate distances on his designs by counting paces. Each line is
made from his individual paces. He adds in the remaining lines and
shadings by eye.
“I do as much as I can in one day,” he said. “In
average conditions, it takes about 10 hours before getting too tired to
carry on.”
Since Beck’s designs have an ephemeral life span, he
takes photos immediately after completing the drawings. He said that
they usually stay in place until the next heavy snowfall, which has
ranged from eight hours to eight weeks.

(Photo/Simon Beck)

Beck, who has an international
Facebook following of 280,000 and sells high-resolution copies of his
photos to magazines and websites, is looking to expand his horizons.
Among
the places he would like to take his art are Yosemite National Park in
California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Central Park reservoir in
New York City. He would also like to experiment in city neighborhoods
and football stadiums.
During the off-season, Beck has started to
make sand drawings on beaches in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. He
uses a rake to draw his designs, which are washed away the next day by
encroaching tides. The main difference between snow and sand art, he
said, is that in the sand, “you can walk all over the drawing without
making any mark that shows you’ve been there.”
“It makes it a lot easier to do the measuring and you can do a lot more ambitious drawings as a result.”

(Photo/Simon Beck)

In 2014, Beck released “Snow Art,” a compilation of 200 of his snow drawings. The book is available for purchase online at snowart.gallery.

December 30,2016, 10:02:13AM,EST

A blizzard created hazardous travel across the north-central United
States on Christmas Day as it unleashed howling winds and nearly 2 feet
of snow in parts of the region.

The storm resulted in stretches
of major interstates, such as interstates 90 and 94, being closed across
Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota. Snow and ice also caused many
roads in northwestern Minnesota to be closed for a time as well.

Photo/North Dakota Highway Patrol

Bismarck, North Dakota, received a daily record snowfall of 10.5 inches on Sunday.
Typhoon
Nock-ten, locally known as Nina, made landfall over the Philippines on
Christmas Day, stranding thousands of holiday travelers and causing at
least seven fatalities.
The typhoon caused widespread damage on
land, toppling trees and cutting power to five entire provinces in the
Philippines. The powerful storm also sunk a cargo ship off the coast
during the height of the storm, the Associated Press reported.

Record warmth made it feel like
summer in Texas through the holidays. Houston set a record high of 83 F
on Tuesday, surpassing the old record of 81 set in 1971. On Wednesday,
temperatures reached the 80s for the fifth consecutive day, tying the
city's previous record for December days with 80-degree temperatures.
Foggy conditions hindered travel across the United Kingdom during the middle of the week. A deadly pileup involving up to 20 vehicles occurred near Oxfordshire, located in South East England on Wednesday. Numerous flight delays were also reported at London's Heathrow Airport and London City Airport. RELATEDMIT researchers successfully freeze water at its boiling point for 1st time ever10 of the most memorable weather photos from 2016Why does NASA launch rockets from Cape Canaveral, Florida?
A powerful earthquake struck
southern Chile on Christmas Day, causing the ground to crack and some
roadways to crumble. The magnitude-7.6 quake also lead to a tsunami
warning, but the warning was later canceled with no tsunami occurring.
A
series of smaller earthquakes shook parts of central California and
Nevada on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with over 40 earthquakes
measuring between 2.5 and 5.7 on the Richter scale.
A small plane departing from Burke Lakefront Airport near Cleveland, Ohio, went missing late Thursday night, according to the Associated Press.
Six
people were on board when it disappeared over Lake Erie. Weather had
prevented a boat search overnight, but aircraft were assisting.
Lake-effect snow showers were around Thursday night.
A nor'easter dumped several feet of snow across northern New England from Thursday into Friday, creating hazardous travel and leaving thousands without power.
Naples,
Maine, about 30 miles northeast of Portland, received at least 27
inches of snow. Parts of Maine had intense snowfall at a rate of 3
inches an hour.
Thundersnow was reported throughout northeastern Massachusetts, including around Boston.
A round of strong storms moved through Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, forcing cars to navigate heavy flooding around the city. The flooding resulted in numerous road closures and water rescues. Several AccuWeather meteorologists and staff writers contributed content to this article.